Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss Uttarakhand’s energy requirements. Anticipating increased demand during the upcoming Char Dham and Kanwar Yatra, the Chief Minister requested the allocation of additional power from the central pool—specifically 150 MW in July and 200 MW in August 2026.
The Chief Minister sought central financial assistance or Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amounting to ₹7,800 crore over five years to develop 10 GW of pumped storage capacity in the state. Additionally, he urged for an increase in the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity from 500 MWh to 665 MWh.
The meeting also featured a detailed discussion on the ADB-assisted transmission project undertaken by PTCUL, valued at ₹3,638.26 crore. The Chief Minister requested that the original 80:20 funding ratio (ADB loan and state share) be maintained so that the benefits Uttarakhand receives as a ‘Special Category State’ remain unaffected. He also advocated for special financial assistance for hydropower projects, similar to the support provided to Northeastern states. The Union Minister has assured positive action on these proposals.
